I found a copy of My Fair Maladies in Books For Less Valero Branch last night. The price is around Php 360, if I remember correctly. Being in Books for Less, I was able to take it from the shelf and sit down for a while to read it. There are various essays and poems that talk about all sorts of affliction: physical, psychological.

Two of the essays I enjoyed reading there are from my former professors in UP. One is by Wendell Capili. He wrote there his childhood experiences as one who has ADHD. I have always been amazed because he remembers all sorts of trivia about his students, acquaintances and friends and how he is able to figure out who is connected to whom and so on.

The other one I loved reading is Butch Dalisay’s kesophobia.

Check it out and you’ll be amused too =)

For people like me who have limited budget, the KFC chicken steak is a blessing! It is just Php 29. It’s more like a chicken strip (doubled in size), a cup of rice and a cup of gravy. It doesn’t come with a drink but because there’s a water dispenser in the office, I have no problem =)

I asked for a cup of extra gravy this morning when I bought it. (The usual gravy, not the one meant for it, but that was ok. I love gravy anyway.) I love KFC’s gravy….

On the 22nd of October (This coming Saturday), the 1st Philippine Comics Convention will be held at UP Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman. Many known Filipino artists that made it in the International Comics Scene will be there. Even Independent Comic Makers will be there. Here is your chance to support the Filipino artists ;)

If you need more info, you can go to their site: Komikon.Net

Where in Manila can you find this bridge?

When I was in college, our Filipino professor discussed with the class the different kinds of languages in the Philippines. Aside from the various languages and dialects around the country, there are other additions we never thought counted: Wikang bakla, wikang tabloid, wikang palengke (Language of the gays, tabliods and market).

I was reading Secret Garden at Starbucks this afternoon, and on the other side of a 4-foot wooden divider sat two middle-aged gay men chatting away. Without meaning to (they were fairly loud and the coffee shop was practically empty), I heard snippets of their conversation.

“Alam mo ba, ang pila doon parang sa pelikula ni Nora Aunor” (The line was so long like a line to a Nora Aunor movie)

“Hay nako, I don’t know and I don’t care!”

“Bruha siya!” (That witch!)

and my favorite,

“Magdusa ka!” (Die you <insert derogatory label here>)

For some reason, though their expressions are dramatic and sometimes exaggerated, they say it with such melodious and tender voice. And for some reason, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to them.

I was waiting in line to pay for my good at National Bookstore when I saw a sign beside the cash register. I can’t remember the exact words, but the gist is:

Due to credit card fraud, National bookstore is now requiring shoppers who intends to pay using their credit cards to present a valid goverment-issued identification card i.e. passport or driver’s license. If you don’t have any of those types of cards, you have to present 2 valid identification cards i.e. company ID, school ID, etc.

So next time you plan to shop at National, my dear card-wielding friends, make sure you have your IDs with you. That or bring loads of cash.

One of my main considerations in choosing a university years ago was location. Sure I wanted to go to a school that was a little farther away from home for a change, but upon seeing just how bad the pollution in Manila City was, I decided that it wasn’t for me. So hello, UP Diliman!

Quezon City’s hardly the cleanest city in Metro Manila, but at least UP Diliman has trees. Lots of them! It’s nice to just be surrounded by green, especially when attending classes the day after an all-nighter. Instant eye strain remedy!

I was walking home on Saturday when I saw this huge smoke in the Don Antonio area. It looked like a house was burning in one of the adjoining subdivisions. As I entered my subdivision, and I saw that the smoke, which I initially thought was on the other side of the avenue owing to the typical weird layout of Manila streets but was actually on the same side as my subdivision, I thought, “Damn, that fire’s closer than I thought.”

When I was a block from my house I started to get anxious and for a moment I thought, “Shit, that may actually be my house!”

Good thing it wasn’t.

This is the second fire within a kilometer of my house in two months. Yikes!

Is this the Manila you know?
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Sale again?! In English.

Three posts have been made about upcoming sales. I go to the mall and see sale signs all over.

I don’t know whether to say “Are Filipinos really poor?” or “This is why we can’t save money.”